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Copyright © 2014 Scienceline Publication
Journal of Civil Engineering and Urbanism
Volume 4, Issue 4: 378-381 (2014)
ISSN-2252-0430
Reflecting to Explanation of Islamic City’s Authentic Concept
Shahab-o-din Hemmati1* and Javad Sadegh Saberi2
1
Sama Technical and Vocational Training Collage, Islamic Azad University, Qom Branch, Qom, Iran
Department of Art and Architecture, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2
*Corresponding author’s E-mail: [email protected]
As per modeling and efforts that are done about
drafting legislations in respect to Islamic architecture
compliance, we face to confusion and lack of systematic
theoretical at application of Islamic City’s features by a
kind of hybridism and in the shape of Iran’s contemporary
cities. It seems that this internal confusion rooted in lack
of agreement on a single definition of the Islamic city and
everyone is considered a different definition on the
character of this city. Regarding the definition of Islamic
city we have seen relevant researches like “characteristics
of Islamic city in Islamic texts” which outlines and
examines the characteristics of Islamic city from the
perspective of Holy Quran (Naqizadeh, 1998). The article
of “characteristics of Islamic city from the perspective of
Holy Quran” (Naqizadeh, 2000) is of these kinds of
researches too. Another article under the title of “a
contemplation over the quiddity (or essence) of Islamic
city" is about detecting and outlining the principles of
Islamic city from the perspective of original Islamic texts.
(Naqizadeh, 2010)
Therefore, in this study we sought to answer the
following questions:
-What are the theoretical perspectives on the
definition of the Islamic City?
-Among the existing criteria for the identification
of the Islamic City, which have higher validities?
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Method of research is based on documents studies
(by referring to existing documents on the topic of the
research and existing thinking about Islamic city),
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
INTRODUCTION
Received -- Jun. 2013
Accepted -- Oct. 2013
ABSTRACT: Today, there are many efforts to develop Islamic City’s criteria and requisites that have been
endeavored to generalize these characteristics for urban construction. However, most of these definitions and
interpretations reflect just a visible aspect the of Islamic City’s concept. Therefore, this present paper is
following to extract and classify criteria and key ideas of different descriptions about Islamic City by
collecting them and draw from them an index for these criteria that accordance with Islamic City’s idea.
Thus, research method of present paper is exploratory and comparative. Its findings implies that all cites
could not be nominated this title just having apparent similarities to Is Islamic City and by classification tech
and indicators in order to assess compliance with these standards, we find the idea of the city. Therefore, the
method of present is exploratory and comparative. Its findings imply that it is only defined in terms of any
urban geography, regional, functional, historical and so on. Then it could not nominate it Islamic city due to
the similarities in the appearance. The key element that cause to distinguishing these definitions is its
complication with the standards and Islamic validated and documented principles derived from the Quran and
traditions.
Keywords: Islamic City, Islamic Teachings, Theoretical Perspectives.
exploring studies (compilation of measures and key
necessities of Islamic city definition) and comparison
studies (setting a measure for comparison of original and
unoriginal measures) so with searching in the documents
we gathered existing definitions of Islamic city and then
we analyzed and achieved key features and characteristics
of this theoretical views. In the end of this research we are
going to set the basis to achieve the original Islamic city.
Theoretical Perspectives about Islamic City
Islam in the opinion of many scholars, is a religion
that considers public participation in the Individual
worship (such as the emphasis on religious practices in the
community), then it is worth, Islamic teaching appear at
the best shape and in the urban-civil environment.
In the early Islamic world, Muslims differentiated
between their sphere of influence and others. They
classified the city accordance with differentiating between
faith and unbelief, acceptance or rejection of Islam in
different parts of the city. They nominated land of Islam
“House of Peace and the land of non-Muslims "Dar AlHarbi," “or house of war”. The factor of this division was
political and ideological domination. As per terms of this
approach and in terms of political and religious categories.
in that period, Islamic City was called the city of Islamic
nation and the city that its majority of the population is
Muslim and followers of Islam. According to another
definition, the Islamic city is the city that contains "spatial
representation of the shape and structure of society on the
basis of the ideal form and decorative elements of Islam.
But beyond the social context, there is another principle
that governs the Muslim community: not being limited to
time and not having any particular geographic place that
Islamic nation defines it" (Behfrouz, 2001). In this view,
To cite this paper: Hemmati Sh-o-d, Saberi J.S. 2014. Reflecting to Explanation of Islamic City’s Authentic Concept. J. Civil Eng. Urban., 4 (4): 378-381.
Journal homepage: http://www.ojceu.ir/main/
378
theologically, prevalence based approach and internal
approach results from Islamic Thoughts and Islamic
elements and forms respectively. Therefor it is not limited
to specific coordinates is not limited to specific
coordinates and they expect that it is widely founded on
the basis of its intellectual vision and based on the
formation of Islamic nation. Some descriptions have
proposed the civic life for the Islamic City based on
necessity of construction and formation of Islamic City.
So that its concept was defined as the following
bellow”… the Islamic City means the city in which the
stream of civic life flow based on Principles of religion
and religious culture must be met one aspect of urban
framework that bring for religious citizens these
endowment: convenience, safety, freshness and liveliness
and they don’t face with lack of security, opacity and
roughness. The Islamic City at the first time associated to
religious life and followed by consideration of internal
aspects (Beheshti, 2001). But this view will stand against
Islamic teachings’ justice perspective to deny the civil
rights of all other Islamic thoughts. In the following,
different available definitions are expressed about the
term of the Islamic city (Table 1). What is understood
from the analysing of this definition is that each of these
definitions are implicated certain aspects of Islamic
thought.
Table 1. Some attitude about definition of Islamic city
Classification type
(distinction)
Intellectual and
framework
Geographical &
regional
Intellectual &
functional
Idea
Explanation
The city of Quran and tradition
The city of Islamic law and spirituality in the field of domicile, traffic, tall
buildings and nuisance to neighbors, well covered homes, respect the
rights and safety of individuals, practice of Islamic law and tradition, the
city of hijab and chastity
The city of monotheism
The city of monotheism idea/unity in thought and action
The Arabic City
Most area of this city belongs to the Arabs geographically and racially
The Muslims’ domicile city that belongs to the Muslim in the view of
geographic and religion
The city inheritors of the early Caliphate and continuing city of Caliphate
components
Behavior patterns resulting from Islamic beliefs
The city with Eastern perspectives in contrast to Western thoughts
The city based on Quranic thoughts
The city that constructed based on civility idea and Islamic thought
Although it is not possible to access the innocent Imam and his appearance,
it takes effort to achieve him. According to the Islamic contexts, the cities
like Jabalqa and Khazra that may not have existed in the world
The city in which people believing Islamic principles and Sharia law
appearances and faithful to the historical values.
The Muslims’ city
The city of Caliphate
The city of Islam
Eastern city
The city of Quran
The city of Islamic civilization
Intellectual
Idealistic city
The city of Islamic societies
Original basics to definition of Islamic city
Using the so-called Islamic city as one of common
member of a civilization represents special cultural, local
and historical identity that separate their city environment
from others. From this point, in fact, classification of
some cities as Islamic city is based on hint and it
implicitly emphasis on a kind of intrinsic, general and
structural relationship between a religion and artificial
urban spaces. This classification could distinct between a
special group of human population centers and other
similar sites that might be similar to climate and
population size (Ebrahimi Dinani, 1996). Islamic cities
have been constructed based on Islamic beliefs. Some
scholars rather than using the title of Islamic cities,
believe concepts derived from Islamic beliefs in the cities
(Shokuyi, 1986). Thus, some opinions also emphasize on
originating ideas from the appearance of Islam’s sublime
teaching texts. The Islamic city interpretation is dependent
on the existence of this city which its theoretical design
includes principles, criteria and rules that be derived from
Islamic texts. The Islamic city proselytes and emanates
the monotheism, reminding them of the devotion to the
Creator alone, a city of unity rather than discord among
the people as a whole (Naghizadeh, 1999). The feature of
the city is derived from two factors i.e. the Quran and
Sunnah. The urban and design rules first have been
emphasized the housing and commuting. The commands
of Islam includes constructing high building, appropriate
width of alleys and streets, respect the rights and safety of
individuals, well covered homes, hijab and simplicity. The
Islamic city has been Sample of the city’s identity and
observing the fitness and balance between all of the
members and constituents. Islamic City is a city in which
the unity of life and society provides the best. Each
component of such a city is a reminder of God's presence.
By circulating in the Islamic city’s alley and street, the
presence of heart and peace of mind located on the heart.
The second factor is spirituality and Islamic spirit that the
thoughts and words and deeds of the Muslims were
transformed to works of art, monuments and Muslim
cities and gives them unity. Islamic city is follower of the
mosque and the house of the Prophet (pbuh) and all the
citizens’ routines is formed in that sacred space (Darabi,
1997). With the formation of Islamic civilization, after
this period, Islamic lands are a phrase for societies and
cities that majority of them were Muslims’ citizens. So,
classification according to the presence or absence of the
rule of Islamic culture and religion in society has changed.
At this classification “the Islamic city refers to that city
that the presence of Islamic civilization was observable”
(Abrahim Dinani, 1996). The Islamic city is the city that
has the trappings of civilization. The evolution of cities in
establishing has been found because the city is the same
civilization. On the other hand, at all periods, the Quran
and Sunnah i.e. city's legislative source and origin were as
To cite this paper: Hemmati Sh-o-d, Saberi J.S. 2014. Reflecting to Explanation of Islamic City’s Authentic Concept. J. Civil Eng. Urban., 4 (4): 378-381.
Journal homepage: http://www.ojceu.ir/main/
379
one of the original sources for distinction of Islamic
civilization and Islamic city. The Muslim jurists due to
improvements and changes that have resulted in the
people’s lives, while enjoying the interpretations and
traditions through Ijtihad, the sentences were imposed on
sustaining people's lives based on the principles of Islamic
jurisprudence. Since the Muslim’s citizens have had a
close relationship with Islam as a program for everyday
life, each consideration and survey on the Islamic cities
must contain Islamic sentences and rules. To the extent
that the appearance of cities affected by Islamic sentences
and rules (Osman, 1997). Jurisprudence, knowledge of
general rules elicitation and explanation, governing the
process of individual and social progress. The knowledge
of physical jurisprudence and its two subsidiaries, i.e. the
jurisprudence of Housing and Urban jurisprudence are the
main areas about general conclusions of law in city
development and evolution. Physical jurisprudence has
chapters like the rule of no damage and no harm, land
laws, ordinances of diverse residential, administrative and
commercial users, civil judgments such as neighborhood
sentences and finally judgments about behavioral, judicial
and citizen systems (Hakim, 2002). In Islam religion,
according to special principles, Natural and artificial
environment of Muslim’s living environment has been
considered to improve their living environment. These
principles explicit in the original sources of Islam namely
Qur'an and the Sunnah. Because traditional Islamic cities
have been constructed on the social principles of Islam
and religious jurisprudence roots, they have common
features in the world. These features demonstrate the
principles of urban planning. Ou. Liulyun, stated in the
analysis of urban planning law "cities such as Medina and
Tunisia represent the symmetry and harmony between law
of religion and urban physical environment and these are
examples of the implementation of the jurisprudence
principles (Hisham, 2003). The Islamic city has been
attributed to the Islam, rightly. Because in addition to
having common characteristics and conditions of a city,
and because the program and practical method of life of
its residents depends on Islam, the credibility of the
program and the practical life of its inhabitants are
Muslim, the Islamic city has the Islamic style. Some
researchers, such as Lombard studied to show the
prominent role of Islam in the history of human
civilization and their efforts in this direction have shown
clearly. Lombard, has paid attention to Islam’s tendency
to civilization and flourishing culture and Islamic
civilization in his studies, and he is compared it with the
pre-Islamic civilizations. The city that was born out of
thought and special way of life and for this reason it is
distinct in form and status that reflects this way of
thinking and particular lifestyle. This causes the Islamic
city distinguished from other cities. Indeed, Muslim cities
must carry the Islamic quality because its shape and
apparent pursues a certain goal that it is built on the same
goal. Islamic city is closely associated with Islam and it is
based on Islamic teachings and orders. (Osman,
1997).One sensible example of the city's role in
introducing its people’s school, thought and culture to
other communities could be called a Muslim cities. The
term of "Islamic city" was first used and promoted by
tourists and non-Muslims. Its reason and more important
that promoting this interpretation and appellation was not
just for this subject that these cities were exactly
constructed according to Islamic teachings and all their
residents were Muslims. Rather, determining symbol is
that there was essentially a clear distinction between
Muslims’ living cities and cities of other civilizations and
nations with different cultures and worldviews. These
aspects of difference very closed to mainly Muslim
lifestyle issues such as the taking equal attention to the
spiritual and material aspects of life, taking attention to
certain religious rites, significance and sanctity of the
family, human dignity, man’s moral character and his
monotheistic thought (Naghizadeh et al., 2002). It is the
fact that Islamic structures in the common sense are on
one hand manifestation of the divinity thoughts and on the
other hand manifestation of the ethnic, national and
territorial characteristics. Hence, by taking care of all
above aspects, this great cultural heritage and human
civilization history has observed unity aspects derived
from the pure teachings of Islam, perception and
realization all aspects of dissociation due to the presence
of some components of cultures and systematic difference
in geographical, historical and social factors. Discussion is
based on the existence of an intrinsic, general and
structural connection between a religion and artificial
urban spaces and personal and social relations of civil
society units. It could specifically organize in-itself a
special group of human population centers compared with
other centers. The concept of Islamic city takes care to
city’s social and physical identity. The Islamic city is the
city that will regulate social relations based on religious
values and its Outward appearance is reminiscent of the
Islamic identity of its residents. The term of Islamic city
represents specific identity of cultural, historical and
spatial the four systems to build cities in the Islamic world
(ecosystems, spatial-activity system, value system and
management system) that is separated from their urban
environment. Civilization (i.e. urban and urbanization)
especially in the form, most affected by its physical and
geographical features. Urban structures of Muslims in
different ethnic and geographical minorities will not be
like each other. But the common Spirit of all coming from
the divinity school (Akuchekian, 1999). Today, the
important matter is theoretical foundation that demands its
special interpretation and physical manifestation. On the
other hand principles like monotheistic thinking, balance
and dignity of family and human. Islamic city is a city
where the trappings of civilization. The Islamic city is the
city that the Manifestations of Islamic civilization appears
on it. Over time and simply the Islamic sentences fit by
promotion of human perspectives, so that it could
regenerate human population and following it will evolve
and progress and this evolution manifest on setting the
Islamic cities. So it seems essential that any investigation
concerning Islamic cities implies respect for Islam and its
sentences and laws, because these sentences and laws
have interfered the social, economical and political
aspects of life involving all details, even the appearance
have been affected by Islamic sentences and laws
(Bagheri, 2007).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
According to studies done in compiling definitions, you
can see that every definition has emphasized the specific
To cite this paper: Hemmati Sh-o-d, Saberi J.S. 2014. Reflecting to Explanation of Islamic City’s Authentic Concept. J. Civil Eng. Urban., 4 (4): 378-381.
Journal homepage: http://www.ojceu.ir/main/
380
features of the Islamic city. However, the intellectual
perspectives and the necessity to determining its direction
to crystallize its frame have a special place in the shaping
of the physical Islamic city. It is worth noting that this
view is in conformity with the authentic concept of
Islamic city should be oriented based on teachings in the
light of verses and Hadith for getting rid of confusing to
understand the subject (Table 2).
Table 2. The summery of internal and intellectual effects on the formation of Islamic city.
Theorist
Perspective Type
Darabi
internal and intellectual
Hakim
Shokouyee
Naghizadeh
internal and intellectual
Intellectual
internal and intellectual
Ebrahimi
internal and intellectual
Behforouz
internal and intellectual
Abdossatar
Osman
internal and intellectual
Ou. Liolion
Internal
Akouchian
Intellectual
Islamic City Definition
Unity in individual and society life- spirituality and Islamic Morale- identity and
observing the balance between all members and constituents
The science of internal jurisprudence
the jurisprudence of Housing and Urban jurisprudence
Theoretical basics for design and construction were derived from Islamic texts,
The Islamic city proselytes and emanates the monotheism, Unity Urban
Community ,taking equal attention to the spiritual and material aspects of life
cultural, historical and spatial identity -Natural, general and structural relationship
between a religion and artificial urban spaces
Spatial display on the form and structure of Islamic ideals- Social concept - the
concept of Islamic Ummah
Manifestations of Islamic civilization- the jurisprudence of Housing and Urban
jurisprudence
Proportion and harmony between the physical and the urban environmentimplementation of principles for flourishing culture and Islamic civilizationSocial relationships based on religious values derived from the divine school
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
Following codification and differentiation of the
Islamic city definition, other miscellaneous definitions
could be finding. However, classification of these
findings into different dimensions and aspects of the
Islamic city helps to clarify and distinguish of this
discussion for other cities without attributions of Islamic
city don’t be confused with this city. On the other hand,
errors and mistakes do not be recorded in the name of
Islam. Therefore, these aspects become describable as
follow (Figure 1):
Akuchekian, A. (1999), An approach to the architectural
public culture & urban. Journal of the Abadi, 9 (34 &
35): 3-17.
Ebrahimi Dinani, Gh. (1996), The Story of philosophical
thought in the Islamic world (pp. 12-25). Tehran:
Publication of Tarhe no.
Bagheri, A. S. (2007), Theories about cities that territory
of Islamic culture. (pp.84-92). Tehran: Amir Kabir
Publications.
Beheshti, S. M. (2001), The concept of City & what is
deemed to be. Journal of Haft Shahr. 1(4): 9-16.
Behfrouz, T. (2001), Islamic city. Tehran: Markazi
Publications.
Hakim Basim, S. (2002), Islamic Arabic cities.
Translation By: Malik Ahmadi, M. H,. & Aghvami
Mighaddam, A. Tehran: Publication Organization of
the Ministry of Culture & Islamic Guidance.
Darabi, H. (1997), Urban Design in Islam. Tehran:
Ordibehesht Publications.
Shokuyi, H. (1986), The social geography of cities.
Tehran: Jahad Daneshgahi Publications.
Osman A. M. (1997), Islamic Medina. Translation By:
Cheraghi, A. (pp. 12-17). Tehran: Amir Kabir
Publications.
Naghizadeh, M,. & Aminzadeh, B. (2002), Islamic utopia,
Town of Justice. Journal of Soffe Architecture &
urban. 12 (35): 21-31.
Naghizadeh, M. (1999), Introduction to research methods
in contemporary urban development. Journal of the
Iranian Academy of Sciences. 6(12&13): 47-60.
Hisham, M. (2003), Traditional Islamic principle of built
environment. New York: Routledge Curzon.
Figure 1: Attitudes about definition of Islamic city
In general, we can define the Islamic city against
the superficial definitions as follow: the city that the great
teachings of Islam and the Holy Koran have been
manifested, because the Qur'an and Islam, while
considering the needs of Human spiritual and material, in
different times and places, bliss involves human in earth
and heaven. Mental and behavioral perspective of Muslim
citizen (faithful) in the framework of the belief to certain
basics and principles, namely Islamic and monotheistic
worldview is manifested physically in his artifacts and
settlements which are to achieve ideals of the Islamic city.
Acknowledgement
This paper that titled as organizing urban regional
context of Jamkaran-Qom, is prepared by planning
approach and due to Research findings and
Corresponding author’s Master's thesis about urban
design.
To cite this paper: Hemmati Sh-o-d, Saberi J.S. 2014. Reflecting to Explanation of Islamic City’s Authentic Concept. J. Civil Eng. Urban., 4 (4): 378-381.
Journal homepage: http://www.ojceu.ir/main/
381